These superbly restored machines are a
tribute to their devoted owners and a tribute
to motorcycling as a whole... because they
are still out there and they are still going very
well. And they sound as stunning as they
look. That is the sound of a very fine and
unique engine.
Ditto for the other mobile examples of the
motorcycling past which I heard. You can pick
out a 500cc single a mile away!
You can only admire the passion the owners
of these unique old motorcycles possess.
For they are effectively historians, the
defiers of age. Without their passion and
skills on restoring machines, many would
have determined they were fit only for
dumping, and we would not have colourful
motorcycling history in our midst.
I’ve ridden a couple of fine old classics,
including a Vincent Black Shadow which
was stunning... and kind of frightening as,
of course, the gears and brakes were on the
opposite side (compared to my GPX) and the
huge front wheel took some getting used to
in tighter corners.
But the power...? Whoa! Gorgeous.
And it was in the condition it would have
come off the show room floor half a century
ago. A restoration masterpiece, which was
another reason I was slightly nervous when
taking it out for a ‘quick spin’.
The owner, with a fine grin, simply said “ahh,
if you break it you buy it...” and laughed as he
waved me off. Those 15 minutes I spent on
it were the most cautious and concentration
intensive 15 minutes of my life. I was on a
piece of history... one of many great pieces of
history which get kick-started into life across
our land by devoted enthusiasts whose
devotion to restoration is equalled only by
their devotion to getting them out as often as
they can and riding them.
Bless ‘em all.